Ujjesha Singh
Updated: Nov 28, 2023
When a designer starts their fashion week show by strutting in their drag alter ego you best believe the collection is going to be non pareil.
That's how Ervin Latimer (in the guise of Anna Conda) showcased his fourth collection titled "Positions of Power" inspired by The Wolf of Wall Street and a story from the business section of The Guardian by Arwa Mahadawi.
The clothes reflected the ideology behind the collection; made with cotton poplins and merino wool twills interspersed with leather and silk to highlight the businessperson chic where attire is a reflection of status and everything down to stitches and material can make or break the persona being portrayed.
Tailored jackets mixed with deconstructed shirts and cut-out pants which alluded to thigh high boots. Shredded clothes combined with intricate mesh knitwear in an offering which paid homage to corporate masculinity in North American cinema, the 2008 market crash and bankruptcy. MONEY, POWDER, GLORY emblazoned on shirts, shredded receipts having a guest feature and knits which seemed to have the ups and downs of a financial market woven in were some of the highlights of the Finnish brand's collection.
The brand which has the motto "for the performance of masculinities" aptly described corporate culture through clothing. Pens, briefcases, folders all added to the story behind the designs; masculinity shredded up, torn apart and broken down into individuality using odes to womenswear and sensuality.
Ervin's work shows that the so-called traditional concepts of gender based clothing are slowly moving towards extinction. Every piece can be worn by anyone regardless of socio-political and cultural boundaries. Fashion is one of the uniting factors in this dystopian world and with this latest offering Latimmier shows that they make clothes for everyone.